Cute Animalshttp://www.businessinsider.com/category/cute-animals
en-usTue, 03 Mar 2015 15:22:38 -0500Tue, 03 Mar 2015 15:22:38 -0500The latest news on Cute Animals from Business Insiderhttp://static3.businessinsider.com/assets/images/bilogo-250x36-wide-rev.pngBusiness Insiderhttp://www.businessinsider.com
http://www.businessinsider.com/this-amazing-japanese-village-is-fox-heaven-2015-2This amazing Japanese village is fox heavenhttp://www.businessinsider.com/this-amazing-japanese-village-is-fox-heaven-2015-2
Tue, 10 Feb 2015 19:42:34 -0500Carly Brooke
<p><img class="full" src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/54da9fac69bedd9844fc63a2/gif fox feeding japan kitsune village.gif" border="0" alt="GIF fox feeding Japan Kitsune Village"></p><p>Welcome to "Zao Fox Village," otherwise known as frolicking fox heaven. Doesn’t that sound like something out of Snow White?</p>
<p>The sanctuary is located in Miyagi Prefecture and opened in 1990. It’s home to over 100 foxes of all shapes and sizes and fur colors. There are the normal red foxes in addition to silver foxes and platinum foxes.</p>
<p>As Japan Travel explains, you buy fox food for 100 yen (less than a dollar), but the park doesn’t recommend feeding the animals by hand. Also, this might not be the best place to take small children, because, as cute as foxes are, they’re still wild animals and not really kid-friendly.</p>
<p>Visitors can get quite close to the animals, which have free reign of the sanctuary. But once again, it’s not recommend that you try to pet the animals. Although, it is incredibly tempting.</p>
<p><iframe width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WvzdXZLnt4M"></iframe></p>
<p>Fox, or Kitsune, are a common subject in Japanese folklore. Stories depict them as intelligent beings and as possessing magical abilities that increase with their age and wisdom. According to Yōkai folklore, all foxes have the ability to shape shift into women (does that mean I can shape shift into a fox?!?!). They’re said to develop up to nine tails and the more tails they have, the older, wiser, and more powerful they are.</p>
<p><iframe width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5J9P8P0lpyg"></iframe></p>
<p>Religiously speaking, foxes are considered messengers of Inari, the Shinto deity of wealth, prosperity, and rice. There is even a Shinto shrine to Inari at the Zao Fox Village.</p>
<p>Well, guess this will be my next stop after visiting the swimming pigs of the Bahamas!</p>
<p><iframe width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/j2CePeXOmms"></iframe></p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/sierra-nevada-red-fox-spotted-in-yosemite-after-100-years-2015-1#ixzz3ROKRKaka" >A Rare Fox Was Spotted In Yosemite For The First Time In 100 Years</a></strong></p>
<p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/extinction-countdown/2015/01/30/saharan-cheetah-revealed/#ixzz3ROKTnLRA" >Rarely seen Saharan cheetah revealed in incredible photos</a></strong></p>
<p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/why-dogs-love-snow-2015-1" >Why Do Dogs Love Snow?</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/this-amazing-japanese-village-is-fox-heaven-2015-2#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/cute-stuff-makes-you-work-better-2014-12Looking At These Kittens Will Make You Better At Everythinghttp://www.businessinsider.com/cute-stuff-makes-you-work-better-2014-12
Sat, 13 Dec 2014 10:22:00 -0500Susana Martinez-Conde
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/51094694ecad04680700000a-1024-768/kitten-4.jpg" border="0" alt="Kitten"></p><p>In my first year of high school, I brought small plastic toys to school during tests. You know… for luck. I would set up the figurines in a row on my desk, facing me, and then get busy with answering exam questions.</p>
<p>My collection raised eyebrows in a couple of teachers (probably like yours are now raised) — but there were no real complaints. So I formed a habit and brought the toys throughout the school year.</p>
<p>I usually got good grades, though I never really truly thought that the toys had anything to do with it… except for maybe providing me with a mental safety blanket during a stressful time. That is, until now.</p>
<p>A recent <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3458879/">research study</a> by Hiroshi Nittono and his colleagues at Hiroshima University in Japan suggests that I may have underestimated the power of my knick-knacks.</p>
<p>Nittono's team wondered if viewing cute things affected behavior in a measurable way. "Cute" objects are thought to possess infantile characteristics, such as those that are common to human babies and young animals: big eyes, a large head relative to body size, and a prominent forehead are some examples.</p>
<p>Cute images are popular across the world, but especially so in Japan, where even the adult culture admires childishness as a quality in social contexts. This appreciation drives the mass production of Pokémon and Hello Kitty toys and manga comic books, among many other products. The objects are often described as Kawaii (a Japanese adjective that translates to English as "cute").</p>
<p>Previous research has found that cuteness captures attention and elicits positive feelings in viewers. It can also induce caregiving behavior, which makes sense in an evolutionary that's-why-we-don't-eat-our-annoying-children type of way. But it was not known whether cuteness might also influence aspects of behavior and performance that are not related to nurturing babies. Nittono and his collaborators decided to find out.</p>
<p><img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/548c59a0ecad042b13b3fa23-1200-924/kitten-15.jpg" border="0" alt="kitten"></p>
<p>First they asked observers to view pictures of baby and adult animals, before playing a game similar to "Operation," in which each player uses tweezers to remove plastic body parts from the body of a patient depicted on the game board.</p>
<p>The subjects rated the images for their cuteness, infantility, pleasantness and excitement. Photos of baby animals generated higher ratings in cuteness and infantility than did those of adult animals, although both sets of images were deemed equally pleasant and exciting. (This means that it was a good set of photos because the only real differences between them were in the cuteness and infantility dimensions).</p>
<p>Subjects made fewer mistakes after viewing the baby animal pictures than after viewing the adult animal pictures, but they also took longer to complete the task. As if cuter images induce more deliberate and more careful behavior: perhaps participants saw the "Operation" task as a form of caregiving.</p>
<p>If that was the case, the scientists hadn't really tested whether cute images improve performance outside of caregiving, so they devised a different task that was impossible to misconstrue as nurturing behavior: observers had a maximum of three minutes to find all occurrences of a specific digit within a large matrix of numbers, after viewing the images of baby and adult animals.</p>
<p>In a twist, the researchers also added in pictures of delicious foods. Though the food images were not cute, they were rated as even more pleasant than the baby or adult animal images, which gave the researchers a way to determine if pleasantness itself was the driving force behind the performance effects.</p>
<p>Again, the subjects' performance improved after seeing the cuter baby animals than after seeing the less cute adult animals. Viewing the pleasant foods did not enhance performance, suggesting that the effects were not due to general pleasantness.</p>
<p>This experiment also controlled for speed of action — recall that cute pictures made observers slow down and make more deliberate actions during the Operations game. Now, successful task execution was related directly to performance speed. So the results indicated that cute images do not improve performance merely by slowing down the observers' actions. Instead, cute images may help to focus attention, thereby reducing distraction by non-target digits in the matrix.</p>
<p>To test the focalized attention hypothesis, the scientists came up with a task that pitted local — small-scale — versus global — large-scale — stimulus features, which the subjects conducted after seeing pictures of baby animals, adult animals, and neutral objects. The idea was that if the subjects were biased to local features, it would indicate a narrower attentional focus.</p>
<p>To test this, the researchers showed observers arrays of different letters — some of which were either "Ts" or "Hs" (these constituted the local features). The arrays themselves were in the shape of Ts and Hs (global features). Each subject's task was to determine if a T or H was present at the local level in each array, as quickly and accurately as possible.</p>
<p>The letter-shape of the global array interferes with the search task in this kind of test (a phenomenon known as the "global precedence effect"), and this remained true after viewing pictures of adult animals and neutral objects. But there was no longer a bias for global features after viewing the baby animal photos, suggesting that exposure to cute stimuli narrows the attentional focus (thereby facilitating the search for local targets).</p>
<p>The scientists concluded that cuteness not only make us happier, it also improves our performance when we need to be careful (such as when taking a school test, I imagine), by narrowing our attention and eliminating distractions. The authors go so far as to suggest that we may want to surround ourselves with cuteness when we need to act carefully, for instance while "driving and [doing] office work".</p>
<p>Which makes me wonder. I eventually stopped bringing my toys to tests, but one thing I've noticed is that I became more efficient and productive at work after my children were born. I've heard many other parents say the same thing. I used to think that the increase in productivity had to do with the necessity of reducing hours at work (due to less flexibility in a parent's schedule). But perhaps the cute baby pictures on my desk deserve some credit too.</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-be-more-productive-2014-11" >18 Tricks To Dramatically Increase Your Productivity </a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/cute-stuff-makes-you-work-better-2014-12#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/great-horned-owl-swimming-in-lake-2014-12Great Horned Owl Filmed Swimming In Lakehttp://www.businessinsider.com/great-horned-owl-swimming-in-lake-2014-12
Fri, 12 Dec 2014 16:16:00 -0500Laura Geggel
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/548b5054eab8eae57727d6fc-1200-800/screen%20shot%202014-12-12%20at%201.28.23%20pm.png" border="0" alt="great horned owl"></p><p>A great horned owl went for an unexpected swim in Lake Michigan this week, after two peregrine falcons forced it into the water, according to Chicago birders who saw the territorial skirmish firsthand.</p>
<p>Steve Spitzer, a birder and photographer who&nbsp;<a href="http://www.livescience.com/9540-owls-wise-life-cities.html">lives near Chicago</a>, filmed the owl's athletic water strokes shortly after the bird entered the lake, he told Chicago station&nbsp;<a href="http://wgntv.com/2014/12/02/watch-this-owl-swim-in-lake-michigan-after-being-attacked-by-falcons/">WGN-TV</a>.</p>
<p>Owls are known for their&nbsp;<a href="http://www.livescience.com/33438-owl-landing-super-slow-motion-strange-snapshots.html">nearly silent flight</a>, but it's not unheard of to see one go for a dip, said Julia Ponder, the executive director of The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota. [<a href="http://www.livescience.com/30021-daring-duos-unlikely-animal-friends.html">Daring Duos: Unlikely Animal Friends</a>]</p>
<p>For an owl, "if you go after something in the water, and you accidentally get too wet, then sometimes it's easier to swim to shore than it is to fly with wet feathers," Ponder told Live Science.</p>
<p>Birds are known to use their&nbsp;<a href="http://www.livescience.com/13883-owl-flight-wing-shape-birds.html">feathery wings</a>&nbsp;as paddles, but it's more common to see an eagle than an owl swimming in a river or lake. "They are often in areas near water," Ponder said. "You have to have those skills."</p>
<p>But swimming is thought to help great horned owls grab midnight snacks. The owls are known to prey on water birds that roost on the open water at night. "Swimming to shore is a natural and necessary follow-up activity when an owl finds itself having splashed down in the middle of a body of water going after prey," said Marc Devokaitis, a spokesperson at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in New York.</p>
<p><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/548b52aeeab8ea9f0127d6fc/owl.gif" border="0" alt="owl swimming"></p>
<p>Once an owl swims to shore, it will typically fluff out its feathers to dry.</p>
<p>"They'll shake it off," Ponder said. "They'll preen a bit. They'll rouse. They'll go up into a tree and let their feathers dry."</p>
<p>The incident that sparked the Chicago owl's aqueous escape is also common, Ponder said.&nbsp;<a href="http://www.livescience.com/24126-raptor-migration-hawk-hill.html">Peregrine falcons</a>&nbsp;often prevent other top predators from trespassing into their territory. The clash was likely a way for the peregrine falcons to indicate that "this is my space, and you need to move on," Ponder said.</p>
<p>The onlookers called a bird rescue team, but the owl flew away before the team arrived, WGN reported.</p>
<p>Follow Laura Geggel on Twitter&nbsp;<a href="http://twitter.com/laurageggel">@LauraGeggel</a>. Follow Live Science&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/LiveScience">@livescience</a>,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.facebook.com/#!/livescience">Facebook</a>&nbsp;&amp;&nbsp;<a href="https://plus.google.com/101164570444913213957/posts">Google+</a>. Original article on&nbsp;<a href="http://www.livescience.com/49033-swimming-great-horned-owl.html">Live Science</a>.</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.livescience.com/13885-owls-amazing-photos.html">Whooo's in There? Images of Amazing Owls</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.livescience.com/11358-top-10-incredible-animal-journeys.html">Top 10 Most Incredible Animal Journeys</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.livescience.com/15540-birds-prey-photos.html">In Photos: Birds of Prey</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Copyright 2014&nbsp;<a href="http://www.livescience.com/">LiveScience</a>, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.</p>
<p><iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/UvrAGHGJIpE"></iframe></p><p><strong>CHECK OUT:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/whistle-fitbit-fitness-for-dogs-2014-12" >I Used A Fitness Tracker For Dogs And Boy Am I Lazy — Compared To A Rottweiler </a></strong></p>
<p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/why-do-guys-do-dumb-things-2014-12" >'Men Are Idiots,' Says Study In Prestigious Medical Journal </a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/great-horned-owl-swimming-in-lake-2014-12#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/whistle-fitbit-fitness-for-dogs-2014-12Here's Proof That Humans Are Much Lazier Than Dogshttp://www.businessinsider.com/whistle-fitbit-fitness-for-dogs-2014-12
Fri, 12 Dec 2014 14:54:00 -0500Will Wei
<p>I tried out a device called <a href="http://www.whistle.com/">Whistle</a> which is like a Fitbit for dogs. I put one on a 100-pound Rottweiler and another on myself to compare our level of activity over one weekend. The difference in results were, to say the least, quite drastic.&nbsp;</p>
<p><em>Produced by <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/author/will-wei">Will Wei</a></em></p>
<p><strong>Follow BI Video: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BusinessInsider.Video">On Facebook</a></strong><em><br></em></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/whistle-fitbit-fitness-for-dogs-2014-12#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/why-do-cats-love-boxes-2014-10Here's Why Cats Love Boxes So Muchhttp://www.businessinsider.com/why-do-cats-love-boxes-2014-10
Wed, 29 Oct 2014 13:55:00 -0400Will Wei
<p>All cats love boxes – that's a scientific fact (we think). Dr. Stephen Zawistowski of the <a href="https://www.aspca.org/">ASPCA</a> explains why.</p>
<p><em>Produced by <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/author/will-wei">Will Wei</a></em></p>
<p><strong>Follow BI Video: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BusinessInsider.Video">On Facebook</a></strong><em><br></em></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/why-do-cats-love-boxes-2014-10#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/these-tiny-dwarf-octopuses-are-the-cutest-thing-2014-4These Newly Hatched Dwarf Octopuses Are The Cutest Thing http://www.businessinsider.com/these-tiny-dwarf-octopuses-are-the-cutest-thing-2014-4
Wed, 02 Apr 2014 16:59:00 -0400Katherine Harmon
<p><img class="full" src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/533c721eeab8ea492e5cd34c-800-/dwarf-octopus-baby-eraser2.jpg" border="0" alt="dwarf octopus baby eraser2" width="800" /></p><p>In the dark of night, between Monday, March 17, and Tuesday, March 18, dozens of fully formed <a href="http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/octopus-chronicles/2014/01/24/baby-octopuses-pickier-eaters-than-baby-humans/" target="_blank">baby octopuses</a> burst forth from their <a href="http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/octopus-chronicles/2014/03/30/how-to-grow-a-patagonian-red-octopus/" target="_blank">outsized eggs.</a></p>
<p>It seems only natural that these <a href="http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/octopus-chronicles/" target="_blank">octopuses</a> would begin their life under the cover of darkness. These baby Caribbean dwarf octopuses (<em>Octopus mercatoris</em>) come from an elusive family of octopods that are difficult to track down&mdash;even in captivity. Aside from their petite stature, they are also nocturnal and expert hiders, which keeps them safe from predators but often out of our sight as well.</p>
<p>Given this cryptic behavior, the Mote Marine Laboratory's aquarium in Sarasota, Fla., where the octopuses hatched, has decided not to try to display them to the public yet. But their cephalopod specialist Brian Siegel is currently looking into the best way to show off these and other nocturnal (or otherwise shy) ceph species.</p>
<p>The babies came from a female that had been captured off the coast of Florida near the lab. The female had apparently <a href="http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/octopus-chronicles/2014/02/14/16-arms-6-hearts-love-watch-an-octopus-blind-date-live/" target="_blank">already mated</a> before she arrived at the aquarium, because the eggs she laid proved to be viable.</p>
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/533c7262eab8ea4a2a5cd34a-350-350/dwarf-octopus-baby-penny.jpg" border="0" alt="dwarf octopus baby penny" width="480" />These young dwarf octopuses might seem small&mdash;and, compared to objects on our human scale, they are. But they are also a rarity among octopuses. Most octopus species lay thousands upon thousands of tiny eggs. But this octopus laid just 50 or so in her brood. And each egg measured in at roughly a quarter inch long&mdash;relatively large for an octopus that, itself, reaches a length of just an inch and a half or so.</p>
<p>As with other octopuses that come from small broods of big eggs, these babies took a long time to develop&mdash;some two months. But when they hatched, unlike most octopus species that start life as larvae, these octopuses already looked like mini adults.</p>
<p>Siegel is also hoping to establish a program to rear these dwarf octopuses to supply other research institutions and aquariums.</p>
<p><em>To read more about the awesome octopus, check out <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Octopus-The-Most-Mysterious-Creature/dp/1591845270" target="_blank">Octopus! The Most Mysterious Creature In the Sea</a>.</em></p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/octopus-camouflage-robert-hanlon-2013-9" >Try To Find The Octopus In This Video</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/these-tiny-dwarf-octopuses-are-the-cutest-thing-2014-4#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/cats-love-cardboard-boxes-2013-12Here's Why Cats Are Obsessed With Boxeshttp://www.businessinsider.com/cats-love-cardboard-boxes-2013-12
Thu, 26 Dec 2013 10:10:00 -0500Will Wei
<p>All cats love boxes – that's a scientific fact (we think).&nbsp;<span>Dr. Stephen Zawistowski of the&nbsp;</span><a href="https://www.aspca.org/">ASPCA</a><span>&nbsp;explains why.</span></p>
<p><em>Produced by <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/author/will-wei">Will Wei</a></em></p>
<p><strong>Follow BI Video: <a href="https://twitter.com/BI_Video">On Twitter</a></strong></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/cats-love-cardboard-boxes-2013-12#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/pit-bull-balances-things-on-head-2013-12An Ontario Pit Bull Has Become Famous For Balancing Objects On His Headhttp://www.businessinsider.com/pit-bull-balances-things-on-head-2013-12
Fri, 06 Dec 2013 11:50:00 -0500Megan Willett
<p>A 9-year-old pit bull in Ontario has become famous for balancing objects on his head.</p>
<p><img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/52a0ad526da811864f734dc2-800-/tumblr_miwcps82321rqtboto1_1280.jpg" border="0" alt="scout balancing stuff on head dog" width="800" />His name is Scout, and his owner Jen Gillen has been putting random things &mdash; from cupcakes to vases of flowers &mdash; on his head for two years now. The impromptu and silly project has taken on a life of its own recently, popping up on <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/funny/comments/1rik1y/scout_can_stack_anything_on_his_head/" target="_blank">Reddit</a> and news outlets across America as "Stuff on Scout's Head."</p>
<p><img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/52a0ad55eab8eacf4e96af79-612-612/tumblr_mltkuvd0ty1rqtboto1_1280.jpg" border="0" alt="scout balancing stuff on head dog" width="800" />"He doesn&rsquo;t get any of the food that goes on his head unfortunately &mdash; unless it&rsquo;s his kibble or that giant raw bone," <a href="http://stuffonscoutshead.com/" target="_blank">Gillen says on her Tumblr</a>. "That&rsquo;s half the secret to his tricks, he never gets any human foods and is extremely obedient! He gets a lot of pigs ears, bully sticks, etta says chews, or raw cuts of meat as rewards though."</p>
<p><img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/52a0ad4e6da8115d4f734dc1-612-612/tumblr_m5x2zggyso1rqtboto1_1280.jpg" border="0" alt="scout balancing stuff on head dog" width="800" />It all started when a friend of Gillen's pointed out that Scout has an extremely flat head, and asked if he could balance a roll of toilet paper. "He instantly posed and balanced it so well, that I decided to try my luck, and try some other humorous items,&rdquo; Gillen <a href="http://www.today.com/pets/stuff-scouts-head-shows-pups-balancing-skills-2D11658574" target="_blank">told TODAY.com</a>.</p>
<p><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/52a0ad576da811a24c734dde-768-1024/tumblr_m4sk1wyhel1rqtboto1_1280.png" border="0" alt="scout balancing stuff on head dog" />Gillen also hopes that her <a href="http://instagram.com/jengillencums#" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/stuffonscoutshead" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, and <a href="http://stuffonscoutshead.com/" target="_blank">Tumblr</a> of "Stuff on Scout's Head" will raise awareness for another important issue &mdash; in Ontario, any pit bull born after August 2005 is considered illegal and can be killed due to breed-specific legislation meant to curb dog-fighting (Scout was grandfathered in since he was born before the law took effect).</p>
<p><img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/52a0ad4e69bedd7901c3403b-612-612/tumblr_m7zts5pqg11rqtboto1_1280.jpg" border="0" alt="scout balancing stuff on head dog" width="800" />"Pit bulls are extremely smart, loyal, and can be trained impeccably for good with the right owner," Gillen insists. "These pictures also have gotten countless people to ask what breed he is, surely these people that don&rsquo;t know he&rsquo;s a 'pit bull' have heard awful things about this breed of dog."</p>
<p><img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/52a0ad4d6da811974c734dc3-612-612/tumblr_m1nes3jicx1rqtboto1_1280.jpg" border="0" alt="scout balancing stuff on head dog" width="800" />And since Scout is a rescue, Gillen also plans to draw more attention and donations to animal shelters with her (and Scout's) newfound fame.</p>
<p><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/52a0ad506bb3f75a7463819e-612-612/tumblr_mcmzn6sejg1rqtboto1_1280.jpg" border="0" alt="scout balancing stuff on head dog" width="800" />"If anyone were to profit at all from this, I hope it&rsquo;s all the rescues out there, whether they have pit bulls or not, who are so under-appreciated and under-funded for all their hard work," she explains on her Tumblr. "I&rsquo;d rather the outcome from all of this be much greater than a dollar in my pocket."</p>
<p><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/52a0ad4eecad04c9136381a2-612-612/tumblr_m4wcw65mcc1rqtboto1_1280.jpg" border="0" alt="scout balancing stuff on head dog" width="800" />You can donate to the rescue that Scout came from originally on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WendyG1799?fref=ts" target="_blank" title="All Breed Canine Rescue">All Breed Canine Rescue website</a> or send an email asking how you can help to allbreedcaninerescue@sympatico.ca.</p>
<p><img src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/52a0ad4cecad04af116381a0-612-612/tumblr_m1t3brlwbj1rqtboto1_1280.jpg" border="0" alt="scout balancing stuff on head dog" width="800" />See more of the awesome pictures of Scout on Gillen's <a href="http://instagram.com/jengillencums#" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/stuffonscoutshead" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, and <a href="http://stuffonscoutshead.com/" target="_blank">Tumblr</a>.</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/best-dog-pictures-2013-10" >The Best Dog Pictures Of The Year</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/pit-bull-balances-things-on-head-2013-12#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/why-do-cats-like-boxes-2013-6Here's The Best Present Every Kitten Would Love On National Cat Dayhttp://www.businessinsider.com/why-do-cats-like-boxes-2013-6
Tue, 29 Oct 2013 14:41:10 -0400Will Wei
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">All cats love boxes &mdash; that's a scientific fact (we think). Find out why below:</span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
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<p><em>Produced by William Wei</em></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/why-do-cats-like-boxes-2013-6#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/platypus-gets-tickled-2013-10This Video Of A Platypus Getting Tickled Is Sweeping The Internethttp://www.businessinsider.com/platypus-gets-tickled-2013-10
Mon, 21 Oct 2013 12:21:00 -0400Dina Spector
<p>A <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6QHzIJO5a8&amp;feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">short video</a> of a platypus being tickled is trending across the Internet. It's so cute it may make you wish you had one of these strange-looking animals for a pet.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The video, posted by Cute Creatures Great And Small, was taken at the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.zoo.org.au/fighting-extinction/research/research-theme-animal-health-and-well-being--/platypus-enrichment-and-handling" target="_blank">Healesville Sanctuary</a> in Australia. <a href="http://www.zoo.org.au/healesville/highlights/world-of-the-platypus" target="_blank">According to its website</a>, Healesville was the first sanctuary to breed platypus in captivity starting in the 1940s with the birth of a platypus named Connie.</p>
<p>Today, visitors can pet and feed the aquatic animals. This one really seems to enjoy it. You can even take a dip with it for about $200.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The platypus is endemic to eastern Australian. <span>The animal is a genetic grab-bag,&nbsp;</span>recognized for its strange combination of features: the bill and webbed feet of a duck, the body of an otter, and the tail of a beaver. It is a type of mammal called a monotreme, but females lay eggs. It has two uteri. The males have venomous barbs on their feet during mating season which contain over <a href="http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2010/10/13/the-platypus-can-poison-you-80-different-ways/" target="_blank">80 types of toxins</a> similar to those from all over the animal kingdom.</p>
<p>The list of weird features goes on and on. But like many animals, it does love being tickled and pet:</p>
<p><object width="618" height="464"><param name="movie" value="//www.youtube.com/v/a6QHzIJO5a8?version=3&amp;hl=en_US" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><embed src="//www.youtube.com/v/a6QHzIJO5a8?version=3&amp;hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="618" height="464" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" /></object></p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/worlds-ugliest-animal-competition-2013-9" >These Are The World's 12 Ugliest Animals</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/platypus-gets-tickled-2013-10#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/11-animal-facts-that-will-cheer-you-up-2013-1011 Totally True And Completely Adorable Animal Facts http://www.businessinsider.com/11-animal-facts-that-will-cheer-you-up-2013-10
Thu, 03 Oct 2013 11:33:00 -0400Kelly Dickerson
<p><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">This week's been pretty rough. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">Luckily for our sanity, this </span><a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/1nexqv/whats_a_fact_you_know_that_will_cheer_me_up/">Reddit thread</a><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;"> in response to user </span><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/AaronM97">AaronM97</a><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">'s request to be cheered up lists thousands of happy facts.</span></p>
<p>We science nerds picked out 10 of the happiest animal facts from the thread to brighten your day. We've even found the science to support them.</p>
<p><strong>1. Rats and mice are actually ticklish.</strong> <strong>And they laugh.</strong> <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10996405">This study by Jaak Panksepp</a> from Bowling Green University in Ohio, shows that rats have ticklish spots and will actually "laugh" when you tickle them. Tickle the nape of a young rat's neck and it will make lots of squeaking sounds &mdash; in this case the rat equivalent of laughter. (From Reddit user <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/1nexqv/whats_a_fact_you_know_that_will_cheer_me_up/cchzlfq">Smitsha516</a>)</p>
<p><img class="full" src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/5249df14eab8eada79fa799a-800-/rat-7.jpg" border="0" alt="rat" width="800" /><strong>2. Some turtles can breathe out of their butts.</strong> Turtles have an opening on their butt where feces, urine, and eggs all come out. Some water turtles, <a href="http://books.Google.com/books?id=EmQkw8srULYC&amp;pg=PA7&amp;lpg=PA7&amp;dq=Aquatic+respiration+and+diving+in+the+freshwater+turtle,+Rheodytes+leukops+by+Craig+E.+Franklin.+Proc.+Physiol.+Soc&amp;source=bl&amp;ots=Jt10-q2Gon&amp;sig=AH1QEVrHV0drvXqCUsB-KRR_R4U&amp;hl=en&amp;sa=X&amp;ei=ybpJUq-TF8e84APa4IGwAw&amp;ved=0CCsQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&amp;q=Aquatic%20respiration%20and%20diving%20in%20the%20freshwater%20turtle%2C%20Rheodytes%20leukops%20by%20Craig%20E.%20Franklin.%20Proc.%20Physiol.%20Soc&amp;f=false">according to this Google book</a>, have a specialized cloaca that they rely on for oxygen when they're under water. While most turtles do not rely heavily on this kind of "butt breathing," one kind of turtle &mdash; the Fitzroy River turtle &mdash; gets almost two-thirds of its oxygen this way. (From Reddit user <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/1nexqv/whats_a_fact_you_know_that_will_cheer_me_up/cci0vmk">panamared78</a>)</p>
<p><img class="full" src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/5249e085ecad04ba38fa799a-1006-755/turtle-8.jpg" border="0" alt="turtle" width="800" /><strong>3. Crows are pranksters &mdash; they have been observed actually playing tricks on each other.</strong> A <a href="http://www.sciencemag.org/content/297/5583/981/suppl/DC1">study published in the journal Science</a> by University of Oxford Professor Alex Kacelnik tells us that crows are smart and can even make tools. Long-time bird watcher and nature writer Candace Savage has observed that these birds are so intelligent they can play pranks on each other. She describes her observations in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Crows-Encounters-Wise-Candace-Savage/dp/1553651065" target="_blank">this summary of her book</a> "Crows: Encounters with the Wise Guys" (Greystone Books, 2005). (From Reddit user <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/1nexqv/whats_a_fact_you_know_that_will_cheer_me_up/cci1tgj">buttons_aren't_toys</a>)</p>
<p><img class="full" src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/524c8814ecad049d440d8248-1024-767/1524248780_394e0e6cdf_b.jpg" border="0" alt="crow" width="800" /><strong style="line-height: 1.5em;">4. Honey Bees can communicate through dance. </strong><a href="http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674190511">University of Munich Professor Karl von Frisch explains how</a> honey bees talk through dancing. Worker bees rely on their "waggle" dance to tell other bees where the best pollen is. (From Reddit user <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/1nexqv/whats_a_fact_you_know_that_will_cheer_me_up/cci47xp">Jackthastripper</a>)</p>
<p><img class="full" src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/524c8f436bb3f7d557abf52a-959-719/bee-2.jpg" border="0" alt="bee" width="800" /><strong style="line-height: 1.5em;">5. Every cow has a best friend and they hang out every day.</strong> Researcher <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2011124/Cows-best-friends-stressed-separated.html">Krista McLennan made this discovery</a> when she observed that pairs of cows within a herd became stressed when they were separated. Being separated from their best pal can impact a cow's heart rate and may even affect how much milk they produce. (From Reddit user <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/1nexqv/whats_a_fact_you_know_that_will_cheer_me_up/cchz4zt">KHDTX13</a>)</p>
<p><img class="full" src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/5249dfef6bb3f72e3c67b05b-910-682/cow-11.jpg" border="0" alt="cow" width="800" />6<strong>. Most penguins only have one mate for life. </strong>In some species the male penguin even <a href="http://www.marinebio.net/marinescience/04benthon/AApenguins.htm">"proposes"</a> by giving the female penguin a pebble. (From Reddit user <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/1nexqv/whats_a_fact_you_know_that_will_cheer_me_up/cci1m63">BabyBlackout19</a>)</p>
<p><img class="full" src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/5249e14f6bb3f7953c67b05e-1024-681/435316765_14ac8d3474_b.jpg" border="0" alt="penguins" width="800" /><strong>7. A group of pugs is called a grumble.</strong> Some other <a href="http://animal.discovery.com/animal-facts/22-peculiar-names-for-groups-of-animals.htm">great names for groups of animals</a> include a parliament of owls, a prickle of porcupines, and a troubling of goldfish. (From Reddit user <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/1nexqv/whats_a_fact_you_know_that_will_cheer_me_up/cchzx3t">MaNamIsKahlfin</a>).</p>
<p><img class="full" src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/5249e1fb69bedd544b9232ae-885-664/pugs.jpg" border="0" alt="pugs" width="800" /><strong>8. Otters have a pocket in their skin to keep their favorite rock in.</strong> Otters have to use rocks to crack open the hard shells of mollusks they eat. Some otters <a href="http://www.conservenature.org/learn_about_wildlife/otters/sea_otter.htm">keep the same rock</a> their entire lives and store it in this skin flap. (From Reddit user <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/1nexqv/whats_a_fact_you_know_that_will_cheer_me_up/cci0blq">Izzuriaren</a>)</p>
<p><img class="full" src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/5249e55eeab8ea1c0afa799a-1024-768/otter-8.jpg" border="0" alt="Otter" width="800" /><strong>9. Cats will headbutt you to show their affection.</strong> Just to remind you that they love you, cats will often gently headbutt your leg, or whatever body part they can reach. This behavior may even be a <a href="http://animal.discovery.com/pets/cat-quirks.htm">type of Territorial marking</a> &mdash; your cat wants everyone else to know you're taken. (From Reddit user <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/1nexqv/whats_a_fact_you_know_that_will_cheer_me_up/cci35rn">bansheelust</a>)</p>
<p><img class="full" src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/5249e619ecad04bd43fa799a-755-566/cat-headbutt.jpg" border="0" alt="cat headbutt" width="800" /><strong>10. Dolphins sometimes try to rescue people who are drowning.</strong> There are <a href="http://www.savethewhales.org/Dolphins_Rescuing_Humans.html">several reports</a> of dolphins guiding humans to the surface or alerting other humans to a distressed swimmer. Dolphins have even been known to protect swimmers and surfers from shark attacks. <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1240334/Dolphins-clever-humans--treat-like-people-say-scientists.html">Professor Lori Marino, a zoologist at Emory University, says</a> this behavior is probably linked to the fact that dolphins are one of the most intelligent animals on Earth. (From Reddit user <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/1nexqv/whats_a_fact_you_know_that_will_cheer_me_up/cci259s">CleanBill</a>)</p>
<p><img class="full" src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/5249f322ecad04585cfa799e-519-389/dolphin-21.jpg" border="0" alt="dolphin" width="800" /><strong>11. Squirrels will adopt other squirrels babies if they are abandoned.</strong> Nature doesn't always follow the ruthless "survival of the fittest" code. <a href="http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/the_kindness_of_squirrels">Scientists have observed</a> squirrels caring for abandoned young. However, adult squirrels are much more likely to do this if the abandoned baby squirrels are closely related to them. (From Reddit user <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/1nexqv/whats_a_fact_you_know_that_will_cheer_me_up/cci3yyv">Ragdoll_Proletariat</a>)</p>
<p><img class="full" src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/5249f69e69bedd357d92329b-935-701/squirrel-4.jpg" border="0" alt="squirrel" width="800" /></p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/science-backed-things-that-make-you-happier-2013-8" >25 Things That Make You Happier</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/11-animal-facts-that-will-cheer-you-up-2013-10#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/amazonian-butterflies-drink-turtle-tears-2013-9Amazonian Butterflies Drink Turtle Tears For Their Salthttp://www.businessinsider.com/amazonian-butterflies-drink-turtle-tears-2013-9
Mon, 16 Sep 2013 11:26:00 -0400Douglas Main
<p><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;"><img style="float:right;" src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/523722156bb3f78b63dca73f-480-/butterflies-turtle-tears-1-2.jpg" border="0" alt="butterflies turtle tears 1" width="480" />The sight of butterflies flocking onto the heads of yellow-spotted river turtles in the western Amazon rain forest is not uncommon, at least if one is able to sneak up on the skittish reptiles. But the reason why butterflies congregate onto the turtles may be stranger than you think: to drink their tears.</span></p>
<p>The butterflies are likely attracted to the turtles' tears because the liquid drops contain salt, specifically sodium, an important mineral that is scant in the western Amazon, said Phil Torres, a scientist who does much of his research at the Tambopata Research Center in Peru and is associated with Rice University.</p>
<p>Unlike butterflies, turtles get plenty of sodium through their largely carnivorous diet. Meat contains significant levels of the salt, Torres told LiveScience. But herbivores sometimes struggle to get enough <a href="http://www.livescience.com/28820-sodium.html">sodium</a> and other minerals, he added. "They end up needing this extra mineral source," he said. [<a href="http://www.livescience.com/39562-photos-butterflies-drink-turtle-tears.html">Photos: Butterflies Drink Turtle Tears</a>]</p>
<p><strong>Drinking tears</strong></p>
<p><img class="full" src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/52372214eab8ea0a4b8ca72b-1000-666/butterflies-turtle-tears-2-3.jpg" border="0" alt="butterflies turtle tears 2" width="800" />Turtle tears are not the only source of such salts for butterflies; the insects also readily get the salt from animal urine, muddy river banks, puddles, sweaty clothes and sweating people, said Geoff Gallice, a graduate student of entomology at the Florida Museum of Natural History, who has witnessed butterflies flocking to turtle tears in the western <a href="http://www.livescience.com/37320-hidden-wildfires-destroy-amazon.html">Amazon rain forest</a>.</p>
<p>This region is lower in sodium than many places on Earth, because it is more than 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) from the Atlantic Ocean, a prime source of salt, and is cut off from windblown mineral particles to the west by the Andes Mountains. Dust and minerals make their way into the Amazon from the east, sometimes all the way from north Africa. But much of this material is removed from the air by rain before it reaches the western Amazon, Torres said.</p>
<p><img class="full" src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/52372214ecad04976a8ca726-1000-666/butterflies-turtle-tears-3-1.jpg" border="0" alt="butterflies turtle tears 3" width="800" />One question that arises: Does the butterfly feeding help, hurt or have no impact on the turtles? Torres said it's not completely clear, but the teary endeavor probably has little impact on the turtles, other than perhaps making them more vulnerable to predators like <a href="http://www.livescience.com/20779-jaguars-panthera-camera-trap.html">big cats</a>, since the butterflies can obstruct their vision.</p>
<p>In fact, the turtles &mdash; blinded and drowning in butterfly kisses &mdash; are sometimes easier to photograph than unadorned animals, which may be able to spot an approaching photographer more easily. The photos were taken by Jeff Cremer, marketing director for <a href="http://www.perunature.com/amazon-rainforest-photography-tours-photo-workshops.html">Rainforest Expeditions</a>, an ecotourism company that hosts guests in the Peruvian Amazon and organizes trips to the jungle.</p>
<p>Gallice said, based on his observations, that the feeding likely does little direct harm to the turtles. "The turtles have enough tears to feed the butterflies simply because the butterflies are taking so little," he said. "They simply uptake salts through a process similar to absorption by placing the proboscis on the salt-laden [tears] and passively 'feed.'"</p>
<p>Torres has also witnessed <a href="http://www.livescience.com/39558-butterflies-drink-turtle-tears.html">bees drinking turtle tears</a>. Bees appear to annoy the turtles more than the butterflies, perhaps due to their buzzing wings, he said.</p>
<p>The lack of salt in the region has driven other animals to exhibit unusual behaviors. For example, <a href="http://www.livescience.com/28144-strange-peruvian-amazon-sightings.html">macaws visit clay licks</a> to, well, lick clay, which contains sodium and other minerals, Torres said. Certain types of monkeys also eat dirt for the same reason, he added. [<a href="http://www.livescience.com/25707-10-weirdest-animal-discoveries.html">The Top 10 Weirdest Animal Discoveries</a>]</p>
<p><strong>Swabbing turtle eyeballs </strong></p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.livescience.com/topics/butterfly/">butterflies</a> also may be seeking other minerals in the turtles' tears, and perhaps even amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, Torres said. He plans to study this in the near future to find out what's going on.</p>
<p>"Potentially, they could be getting other resources out of those eyeballs that we don't even know about," Torres said. "Basically, we have to go start swabbing turtle eyeballs and see what we get."</p>
<p>The tear-drinking phenomenon doesn't appear to take place often outside this region. "I have been studying turtles in the wild &mdash; from the northern U.S., Mexico and Amazonas &mdash; for over 50 years and have never seen butterflies drinking tears of turtles," said Richard C. Vogt, a researcher at the National Institute of Amazonian Research in Manaus, Brazil.</p>
<p>Juarez Pezzuti, a turtle specialist at Brazil's Federal University of Par&aacute;, hasn't seen it either. However, neither he nor Vogt doubt that it happened, and they said it makes sense, as some turtles eliminate excess salt through their tears.</p>
<p><em>Email <a href="mailto:dmain@techmedianetwork.com">Douglas Main</a> or follow him on <a href="http://twitter.com/Douglas_Main">Twitter</a> or <a href="https://plus.google.com/110313020217658235558/posts">Google+</a>. Follow us <a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/LiveScience">@livescience</a>, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/livescience">Facebook</a> or <a href="https://plus.google.com/101164570444913213957/posts">Google+</a>. Article originally on LiveScience.</em></p>
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<li><a href="http://www.livescience.com/28828-10-strangest-sights-google-earth.html">12 Strangest Sights on Google Earth </a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.livescience.com/30217-camera-trap-images-gallery-wildlife-animals.html">Camera Trapped: Wonderful and Weird Wildlife Around the World</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.livescience.com/39246-boa-constrictor-eats-howler-monkey-first-look-video.html">Boa Constrictor Eats Howler Monkey - First Look | Video</a></li>
</ul><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/unlikely-animal-friendships-2013-6" >19 Unlikely Animals Who Are Best Friends</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/amazonian-butterflies-drink-turtle-tears-2013-9#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/worlds-ugliest-animal-competition-2013-9These Are The World's 12 Ugliest Animalshttp://www.businessinsider.com/worlds-ugliest-animal-competition-2013-9
Thu, 05 Sep 2013 16:10:00 -0400Jennifer Welsh
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/5228df4c69bedde5148b4575-720-/pig-nosed%20turtle%20(carettochelys%20insculpta)%20&prod;%20pancy98.jpg" border="0" alt="Pig nosed turtle (Carettochelys insculpta)" width="720" /></p><p></p>
<p>Not all animals are cute and fuzzy. Some are downright ugly, but they deserve love too. To that end, the <a href="http://uglyanimalsoc.com/" target="_blank">Ugly Animal Preservation Society</a> is looking to the public to help it pick a new mascot. Here are the 12 contenders.&nbsp;</p>
<p>They have teamed with the National Science + Engineering Competition and comedians like Stephen Fry and Simon Pegg to find the ugliest creature on Earth. The celebrity presenters have made campaign videos for their ugly animals of choice, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/uglyanimal" target="_blank">which you can see on YouTube</a>.</p>
<p>The Society aims to convince you that these "ugly" animals are just as important to our ecosystems as the cute and cuddly ones. They even have their own type of charm.</p>
<p>The winners will be announced on September 12, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/uglyanimal" target="_blank">so vote now by liking the ugliest animal's film on YouTube.</a></p><h3>This ugly glob of life is called the blobfish, which is actually well suited to its environment up to 4,000 feet below the surface of the ocean. Its jelly body keeps it floating in the high-pressure waters. </h3>
<img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/5228e31feab8ea240f8b457e-400-300/this-ugly-glob-of-life-is-called-the-blobfish-which-is-actually-well-suited-to-its-environment-up-to-4000-feet-below-the-surface-of-the-ocean-its-jelly-body-keeps-it-floating-in-the-high-pressure-waters.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&amp;v=vRkX6v_mfjE" target="_blank">(Vote now)</a></p></p>
<br/><br/><h3>The proboscis monkey is known for its nasty nose. It uses the appendage to increase the volume of its mating calls — necessary when living with such an ugly face. It lives in Borneo. </h3>
<img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/5229449eecad04c3708b4570-400-300/the-proboscis-monkey-is-known-for-its-nasty-nose-it-uses-the-appendage-to-increase-the-volume-of-its-mating-calls--necessary-when-living-with-such-an-ugly-face-it-lives-in-borneo.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&amp;v=aFIRxACm8qA" target="_blank">(Vote now)</a></p></p>
<br/><br/><h3>The long nose on the pig-nosed turtle is used as a snorkel so it can hide under water. It's actually the only surviving member of an ancient family of turtles. It lives in Australia and New Guinea.</h3>
<img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/5228df4c69bedde5148b4575-400-300/the-long-nose-on-the-pig-nosed-turtle-is-used-as-a-snorkel-so-it-can-hide-under-water-its-actually-the-only-surviving-member-of-an-ancient-family-of-turtles-it-lives-in-australia-and-new-guinea.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&amp;v=y_rujjzJxh8" target="_blank">(Vote now)</a></p></p>
<br/><br/><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/worlds-ugliest-animal-competition-2013-9#this-slug-might-not-look-like-much-but-has-a-special-trick-it-can-jump-to-escape-predators-its-found-throughout-the-americas-and-is-called-the-dromedary-jumping-slug-because-of-the-strange-hump-on-its-back-4">See the rest of the story at Business Insider</a> http://www.businessinsider.com/the-national-zoos-baby-panda-is-a-girl-2013-9The National Zoo's Newborn Baby Panda Is A Girlhttp://www.businessinsider.com/the-national-zoos-baby-panda-is-a-girl-2013-9
Thu, 05 Sep 2013 10:30:00 -0400Megan Gannon
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/52289413ecad044e188b4578-480-/cub-cam.jpg" border="0" alt="cub cam" width="480" /></p><p>The panda cub born last month at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, D.C., is female, zoo staff announced Thursday (Sept. 5).</p>
<p>Through genetic testing, Smithsonian scientists confirmed the sex of the cub, <a href="http://www.livescience.com/39152-giant-panda-mei-xiang-gives-birth.html">born on Aug. 23 to panda mom Mei Xiang</a>. A paternity test also revealed that the baby bear's father is Tian Tian, the zoo's male panda.</p>
<p>After Mei Xiang failed to mate naturally with Tian Tian, staff resorted to artificial insemination. The female panda received fresh and frozen semen from Tian Tian and frozen semen collected in 2003 from Gao Gao, a male panda at the San Diego Zoo. [<a href="http://www.livescience.com/39153-giant-panda-mei-xiang-gives-birth-photos.html">In Photos: Giant Panda Mei Xiang Gives Birth</a>]</p>
<p>A day after giving birth to the live cub, Mei Xiang gave birth to a stillborn, which was also a female sired by Tian Tian, the zoo said, adding that the cubs were fraternal twins.</p>
<p><img class="full" src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/522894136bb3f7de208b4569-800-534/panda-cub-mei-xiang.jpg" border="0" alt="panda cub mei xiang" width="800" />Both mom and the tiny female cub appear to be healthy, but keepers are maintaining a close watch over the pair, mostly through a camera that's always turned on in the panda den. Zoo staff was able to give the newborn its first exam on Aug. 25, finding that she seemed to be breathing, nursing and digesting normally. The cub weighed about 4.8 ounces (137 grams). She will be named when she is 100 days old, in keeping with Chinese tradition.</p>
<p>Mei Xiang's first cub, named Tai Shan, was born at the zoo in 2005, but now lives at a facility in China. (All <a href="http://www.livescience.com/27335-giant-pandas.html">pandas</a> officially belong to China under international law.) Her second cub was born on Sept. 16, 2012, but died about a week later, appearing to be underdeveloped.</p>
<p>Conservationists estimate that there are just 1,600 pandas left in the wild. Captive breeding is one way to help bolster the species' population numbers and boost genetic diversity, but it is notoriously difficult. Mei Xiang has only conceived through artificial insemination.</p>
<p>Two other panda cubs were born this year in the United States. Zoo Atlanta's female bear Lun Lun gave birth to <a href="http://www.livescience.com/38266-zoo-atlanta-panda-twins-male.html">twin panda cubs</a>, both male, on July 15.</p>
<p><em>Follow Megan Gannon on </em><a href="https://twitter.com/meganigannon"><em>Twitter</em></a><em> and </em><a href="https://plus.google.com/112479001617280513600/posts"><em>Google+.</em></a> <em>Follow us </em><a href="https://twitter.com/LiveScience"><em>@livescience</em></a><em>, </em><a href="http://www.facebook.com/#%21/livescience"><em>Facebook</em></a> <em>&amp; </em><a href="https://plus.google.com/101164570444913213957/posts"><em>Google+</em></a><em>. Original article on </em><em><a href="http://www.livescience.com/39431-national-zoo-panda-cub-sex-girl.html">LiveScience</a>.</em></p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.livescience.com/24156-baby-panda-cub-pictures.html">Baby Panda Pics: See A Cub Growing Up</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.livescience.com/20763-procreation-station-species-craziest-pregnancy.html">The 10 Strangest Pregnancies in the Animal Kingdom</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.livescience.com/12902-world-cutest-baby-wild-animals.html">World's Cutest Baby Wild Animals</a></li>
</ul><p><strong>Find Us On Facebook —&nbsp;<a href="http://www.facebook.com/BusinessInsiderScience" >Business Insider: Science</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-national-zoos-baby-panda-is-a-girl-2013-9#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/little-girl-befriends-baby-gorilla-2013-8Little Girl Befriends Baby Gorilla In This Adorable Videohttp://www.businessinsider.com/little-girl-befriends-baby-gorilla-2013-8
Thu, 22 Aug 2013 14:38:00 -0400Jennifer Welsh
<p>We don't know much about this video of a baby gorilla and young girl making friends at a zoo, but we do know it's adorable.</p>
<p>The two are mimicking each other's movements, a sign of empathy. They even share a kiss through the glass. </p>
<p>it was uploaded on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWCHP-W2mlI" target="_blank">Aug 20 by Petsami</a>, though we aren't sure if it was uploaded elsewhere first. </p>
<p><object width="800" height="450"><param name="movie" value="//www.youtube.com/v/JWCHP-W2mlI?hl=en_US&amp;version=3" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><embed src="//www.youtube.com/v/JWCHP-W2mlI?hl=en_US&amp;version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="450" width="800" /></object></p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/frans-de-waal-on-human-morality-2013-4" >Primate Research Shakes Up Our Understanding Of Morality</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/little-girl-befriends-baby-gorilla-2013-8#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/animals-at-londons-zoos-annual-audit-2013-8Adorable Photos Of Animals Being Weighed And Measured At The London Zoohttp://www.businessinsider.com/animals-at-londons-zoos-annual-audit-2013-8
Thu, 22 Aug 2013 10:32:00 -0400Jennifer Welsh
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/52150fb8ecad047804000030-720-/a%20waxy%20monkey%20tree%20frog%20is%20weighed%20in%20a%20measuring%20device%20.jpg" border="0" alt="A waxy monkey tree frog is weighed in a measuring device " width="720" /></p><p>Every year the London Zoo weighs and measures its animals &mdash; a process that takes quite a long time for the zoo's 19,000 residents. A few of the prettier ones were brought out for the public and press to see on August 21.</p>
<p>The data they collect is not only important for the zoo and zookeepers in London, but is also used by other zoos and conservation groups.</p><h3>Jae Jae, a Sumatran tiger, licks its lips as it approaches a height chart. </h3>
<img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/52150fb8ecad04be0600001c-400-300/jae-jae-a-sumatran-tiger-licks-its-lips-as-it-approaches-a-height-chart.jpg" alt="" />
<br/><br/><h3>Keeper Paul Kybett dangles a piece of horse meat to entice the big cat to jump up next to a height chart so they can measure her. </h3>
<img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/52150fc669bedd6b50000012-400-300/keeper-paul-kybett-dangles-a-piece-of-horse-meat-to-entice-the-big-cat-to-jump-up-next-to-a-height-chart-so-they-can-measure-her.jpg" alt="" />
<br/><br/><h3>Keeper Marcel McKinley uses worms to entice Tammy, a tamandua, to stay on a scale.</h3>
<img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/52150fbceab8ea213f00000b-400-300/keeper-marcel-mckinley-uses-worms-to-entice-tammy-a-tamandua-to-stay-on-a-scale.jpg" alt="" />
<br/><br/><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/animals-at-londons-zoos-annual-audit-2013-8#noemie-a-bactrian-camel-weighs-in-at-more-than-1300-pounds-though-shes-lost-weight-since-last-year-4">See the rest of the story at Business Insider</a> http://www.businessinsider.com/why-are-dogs-so-loyal-2013-7Why Dogs Are So Loyalhttp://www.businessinsider.com/why-are-dogs-so-loyal-2013-7
Sun, 28 Jul 2013 09:02:52 -0400Will Wei
<p>From <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hachik%C5%8D">Hachiko</a> to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/navy-seal-dog-funeral-2011-8">Hawkeye</a>, the stories of a&nbsp;<span style="line-height: 1.5em;">dog's heartbreaking loyalty to their owners are endless.</span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.aspca.org/">ASPCA</a> science advisor Dr. Stephen Zawistowski tells us that dogs are fiercely loyal simply because they evolved as pack animals.</p>
<p>"When they've moved into our homes and into our lives, our families have become their pack," says Zawistowski.</p>
<p>Find out more about why dogs are so loyal below:</p>
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<p><em style="line-height: 1.5em;">Produced by William Wei</em></p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/why-cats-dogs-chase-their-tails-2013-7" >Here's Why Cats And Dogs Chase Their Tails</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/why-are-dogs-so-loyal-2013-7#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/why-are-dogs-so-loyal-2013-7Here's Why Dogs Are So Loyalhttp://www.businessinsider.com/why-are-dogs-so-loyal-2013-7
Wed, 24 Jul 2013 10:12:00 -0400Will Wei
<p><strong>Click for sound.</strong></p>
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<p>From <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hachik%C5%8D">Hachiko</a> to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/navy-seal-dog-funeral-2011-8">Hawkeye</a>, the stories of a dog's heartbreaking loyalty to their owners are endless.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.aspca.org/">ASPCA</a> science advisor Dr. Stephen Zawistowski tells us that dogs are fiercely loyal simply because they evolved as pack animals.</p>
<p>"When they've moved into our homes and into our lives, our families have become their pack," says Zawistowski.</p>
<p>Find out more about why dogs are so loyal above.</p>
<p><em>Produced by William Wei</em></p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/why-cats-dogs-chase-their-tails-2013-7" >Here's Why Cats And Dogs Chase Their Tails</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/why-are-dogs-so-loyal-2013-7#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/why-cats-dogs-chase-their-tails-2013-7Here's Why Cats And Dogs Chase Their Tailshttp://www.businessinsider.com/why-cats-dogs-chase-their-tails-2013-7
Wed, 10 Jul 2013 16:16:00 -0400Will Wei
<p>We know <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/why-do-cats-like-boxes-2013-6">why cats love boxes</a> and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/why-dogs-howl-and-growl-2013-6">why dogs howl</a>. One thing both pets like to do, though, is to chase their own tails.&nbsp;<a href="http://www.aspca.org/">ASPCA</a><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> science advisor Dr. Stephen Zawistowski explains why cats and dogs like chasing their tails.</span></p>
<p><em>Produced by <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/author/will-wei">Will Wei</a><br></em></p>
<p><strong>Follow BI VIDEO:</strong> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BusinessInsider.Video">On Facebook</a></p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/why-dogs-howl-and-growl-2013-6" >Here's Why Dogs Howl</a></strong></p>
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<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/why-cats-dogs-chase-their-tails-2013-7#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/why-dogs-howl-and-growl-2013-6Here's What Dogs Really Mean When They Howlhttp://www.businessinsider.com/why-dogs-howl-and-growl-2013-6
Sat, 22 Jun 2013 10:30:00 -0400Will Wei
<p>Previously, we explored <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/why-do-cats-like-boxes-2013-6">why cats love boxes so much</a> with <a href="http://www.aspca.org/">ASPCA</a> science advisor Dr. Stephen Zawistowski. Today, we find out why dogs howl.</p>
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<p><em>Produced by William Wei</em></p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/why-do-cats-like-boxes-2013-6" >Here's Why Cats Love Boxes So Much</a></strong></p>
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